Aisles

Chapter 17

A/N:  Important: Depending on when you read the last chapter, you may need to go back and reread the ending. There was a glitch with the italics and I was unhappy with it and I am sorry, know it might be a more... painful conclusion, but I promise it will pay off. I enjoy this more angst-y route, so I'm not actually that sorry :)

Friday, 15th November

They lay like that for a further ten minutes, in each other's arms, with Remus' head placed against Sirius' chest and Sirius' back reclined against the headboard of the bed. He felt Sirius reach out a hand and slowly start to brush the back of Remus' head with his fingers, pausing occasionally to curl a piece of hair around his finger. Remus closed his eyes; he'd never felt this content in his whole life.

"You still awake?" Sirius whispered, as he continued to stroke Remus' head.

"Mhm," Remus mumbled.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything,"

"When did you know you liked me?"

"It's complicated," Remus said softly. "I met you before I even knew I was gay, right? I remember... I remember thinking you were very funny and, y'know, attractive but didn't realise I actually liked you until the concert, the last song in particular," Remus saw Sirius smile out of the corner of his eye. "What about you?"

"James and I's party. When Mary introduced herself, and I just felt very jealous. I was like, oh shit,"

Remus snickered. "Jealous of Mary?"

"Yep, and then when you said she wasn't your girlfriend and then offered me her number, god I was crushed,"

Remus sat up to look at him, blushing slightly. "Crushed?"

"Well, I don't know how many guys you've been interested in that you've tried to hook up with your friend, but it seemed a clear indicator that you didn't like me like that," Sirius grinned.

Remus buried his head in his hands. "Argh, I literally remember hoping that you didn't text her but still didn't connect the dots,"

"It's funny how oblivious you were,"

"Me? Oblivious? There was absolutely no indication that you liked me, at all," Remus raised his eyebrows in indignation.

"Are you kidding me?" Sirius spluttered. "Halloween? You still didn't realise after that?"

"I just thought you were drunk and I was 'someone',"

"You think I'm more of a slut than I actually am," Sirius teased but Remus stiffened - it hit the sore point which was starting to build up.

"Should I feel offended that it was that ginger kid who made you realise and not me?" Sirius changed the subjects and raised an eyebrow. Remus lay back down on him, replacing his head on Sirius' chest, who then resumed playing with Remus' hair.

"Maybe," Remus murmured. "Is that why you were upset with me? Because you thought I went home with Gideon?"

Sirius laughed. "Yes, and then you went and thought I was homophobic,"

Remus blushed. "I guess I was anticipating some resistance when I realised, so I assumed easily,"

"Then turns out you were gay but still didn't seem like you liked me,"

"It didn't seem like it? I'm a better actor than I thought,"

"Actually, maybe now that I think about it... You know you dropped two cans whilst talking to me for the first time?" Sirius snickered.